Long Term Effects of TBI: What to Expect After Suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury

Over 5 million Americans are living with a disability caused by a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Most often the result of a motor vehicle accident, TBI’s carry both immediate and long-term consequences. The long term effects of TBI can interrupt a person’s ability to carry on normally with their day-to-day life.

Regardless of whether a TBI is classified as mild or severe, both have a significant impact on physical, cognitive, and behavioral functions. If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI, you should know how it might impact your life and your future.

Keep reading to learn more about the long term effects of TBI and how they can be treated.

Classifying Mild or Severe TBIs

The most commons causes of TBI are violent blows or jolts to the head. TBIs can also happen when an object penetrates the skull and brain tissue, like a shattered piece of the skull or a bullet.

Depending on the amount of time a person is unconscious for, and their immediate symptoms, TBIs are classified into two categories. These categories are mild and severe.

A TBI is considered mild when a person loses consciousness or experiences confusion and disorientation for less than 30 minutes following a blow to the head. Because the injury only affects the brain cells temporarily, it’s called a mild TBI.

Brain scans don’t often reveal lasting effects of a mild TBI. However, some people still have long-term issues with cognition as well as physical and behavioral functions—albeit, to a lesser degree than a severe TBI.

A TBI is classified as severe when a person loses consciousness for more than 30 minutes following a head injury. If a penetrating skull injury lasted longer than 24 hours, it’s also considered a severe TBI. A person experiencing memory loss following a head injury might also be diagnosed with a severe TBI.

Severe TBIs result in a wide range of injuries. They typically cause physical damage to the brain in the form of torn tissue, bleeding, and bruising. A severe TBI can lead to an altered state of consciousness, extreme impairment, and even death.

If you or a loved one suffered a TBI in a car accident, a slip and fall, at a dangerous job, or in some way that was the result of other people’s negligence, you are entitled to damages. This is why it’s important to contact a traumatic head injuries lawyer immediately after receiving your diagnosis.

Long Term Effects of TBI

The long term effects of TBI are varied and range in severity from individual to individual. One commonality shared between TBIs is that their impact on the brain effects many other parts of the body. So while bruising and swelling of the brain may be helped with treatment, victims often have long-term symptoms and developmental disabilities that are life-long.

The effects of a head injury can be classified into three categories. There are physical effects, cognitive effects, and behavioral/emotional effects. We describe each in more detail below.

Physical Problems

Persistent post-concussive symptoms are symptoms of a TBI that usually last a few weeks to a few months. They include:

Headaches. These might begin within a few days of the injury and last as long as several months. This is one of the most common symptoms of a TBI.

Seizures. These can develop anywhere from the first few weeks or months of a TBI to years later.

Blood vessel damage. When small or large blood vessels are damaged, it can lead to stroke, blood clots, and other complications.

Infections. If the skull was fractured or an object penetrated brain tissue, bacteria can get into the brain and cause infection.

Vertigo. What presents as severe dizziness is actually vertigo. This is another common symptom following a TBI.

When the above symptoms last longer than weeks or months, it’s called post-concussion syndrome. Post-concussion syndrome can last for more than a year in some individuals.

There are also persistent sensory problems associated with a TBI. This can range from ringing in the ear and impaired hand-eye coordination to problems with vision, taste, and smell. Sensory problems may manifest as skin tingling or itching, problems balancing or persistent dizziness, and an inability to recognize everyday objects.

Cognitive Problems

TBI has a lasting impact on a persons ability to think. But cognitive functions encompass so much more than just thinking. Cognitive problems from a TBI can impact:

Memory

Attention or concentration

Beginning or completing tasks

Learning

Communicating (speaking, writing, conversing)

Problem-solving

Decision-making

Multitasking

Reasoning

Judgment

Organization

Planning

Following a TBI, a person needs more time to focus. It becomes more difficult to process their thoughts as well as the information being given to them. The frustration of not being able to think or communicate clearly can contribute to behavioral and emotional changes.

Behavioral/Emotional Changes

Sometimes the result of the physical damage to the brain itself and other times related to the frustrations caused by brain injury complications, the emotional long term effects of TBI include:

Extreme fluctuations in mood

Depression

Anxiety

Anger

Lack of empathy

Irritability

The behavior of an individual who experienced a TBI may change as well. Often, this manifests in difficulties maintaining self-control and engaging in more risky behaviors. But it can also cause isolation as the person finds social situations more difficult.

Treatment for the Long Term Effects of TBI

The long term effects of TBI have an impact on the individual and their ability to carry on normally. It impacts their job, social life, community interaction, and their family. In those who aren’t left in long term unresponsive states, treating a TBI involves lifelong rehabilitation and life changes.

Beyond physical therapy, taking care of your body following a TBI is more important than ever. For advice on the best ways to do that, check out our health and wellness blog.